Rock Art From 5,000 Years Ago
The Astuvansalmi rock paintings are located on a steep outcrop, resembling a human head, on the shore of lake Y�vesi. The site may have been used for ceremonial purposes
Rock paintings created during the Stone Age can still be seen today in dozens of sites around Finland. These awe-inspiring artworks are like windows into the ancient past, revealing tantalising glimpses of long lost cultures.
FINLAND�S rock paintings mainly consist of brownish-red figures and markings painted onto steep granite walls, often overlooking waterways. Scenes feature people, boats, elk, fish and mysterious partly human figures that may be linked to shamanistic beliefs, as well as more abstract shapes and patterns whose meanings will probably remain forever lost in the mists of time.
�So far we know of 127 sites in Finland where such paintings have been found,� explains archaeologist Helena Taskinen of the National Board of Antiquities. �These paintings have survived thanks to the formation of a thin layer of silicon dioxide on the rock surface, which has protected them. Many more paintings have undoubtedly vanished over the intervening millennia, but it�s also likely that more paintings are still out there in the forests waiting to be discovered.�
Durable paint mixes
Experts believe the paintings were made by people from the �Comb Ceramic Culture�, who lived in what is now Finland between 5000 BC and 2000 BC. They made their paints using iron oxide obtained from the soil, probably mixed with blood, animal fat or egg, although traces of these organic materials are no longer detectable. �Whatever it was, it was a good mix considering how long their works have survived!� says Taskinen.
�We can also see that the paintings were made by skilled artists, especially since some may have been painted from boats,� she adds. Even if the creations of these Northern European artists are not on the same scale as those of their contemporaries in Egypt or Mesopotamia, they still give a fascinating insight into the lifestyles of long ago.
�What�s striking is that the places where we find these paintings always seem to be very beautiful and atmospheric � at least to me!� says Taskinen. �I strongly suspect that these were very special sites, somehow linked to people�s spiritual beliefs. But one nice thing about them is anyone who sees them can come up with their own interpretation, and no one will ever be able to say for sure who is right.�
Ancient markings struck a chord with Sibelius
The first Stone Age rock paintings to be recognised in Finland were reported to the authorities in 1911 by a certain Jean Sibelius, whose eye was caught by strange patterns on a lakeside cliff near Hvittr�sk, the home of his architect friend Eliel Saarinen. Ancient rock carvings with a strikingly similar pattern have been found in faraway Norway, suggesting some cultural link between people from these distant locations.
Another set of paintings was discovered in the 1960s on a rocky lakeshore just a few miles west of Hvittr�sk at Juusj�rvi. At first the local cottage owners thought the paintings were recent graffiti daubed on the rock by workmen, but they were soon realised to be several thousand years old.
In spite of their age, the paintings on the cliffs of Juusj�rvi still seem full of life. Two figures look as if they are dancing together cross-legged. A smaller character above them has a strange bird-like head. Below them a large fish is approaching a man who may have just fallen into the water; while to the right, a line of elk-like animals seem to be climbing up the cliff. The paintings also include the handprints of the artist � a touch that seems to reach out through time to anyone looking at the scene today.
Ancient heritage to be cherished
Most of Finland�s rock paintings lie in the Saimaa Lake District. The best-known site, at Astuvansalmi, has been proposed for UNESCO�s world heritage list. Subjects include a human figure with antlers, and elk or reindeer marked with spots showing the location of the animals� hearts, as if to aid hunters. The cliffs at Astuvansalmi have a profile that resembles a giant human face, and dainty amber pendants apparently carved into the shape of a head have been found by archaeologists beneath the cliffs.
Another well publicised and accessible site, in the Hossa Hiking Area, features freakish figures with triangular heads. But at most sites the authorities make no attempt to attract tourists, especially where paintings lie near private homes or hazardous cliffs. Taskinen herself prefers to visit the paintings� scenic settings alone, and let her mind wander. Visitors are urged not to touch the paintings, to ensure that art-lovers from future generations will also be able to enjoy these unique works from long ago.
Photographer Ismo Luukkonen is helping Helena Taskinen to systematically document Finland�s surviving Stone Age paintings. Luukkonen�s photos seek to explore how ancient people related to the same environments we live in today. �People during every era leave their own marks on the landscape, which are gradually buried under the marks left by subsequent generations,� he explains. �Seeing these paintings somehow creates a personal connection between ancient people and our modern lives. I think the people who made them can�t have been so different from us. Their paintings are not just about hunting, but can also tell us something more about their lives and their beliefs.�
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